Search, share, print, and more

Windows tutorial: Page 6 of 11

Using the charms for things you do often

The five charms—Search, Share, Start, Devices, and Settings—are quick ways to get to actions you do often, like search the web and your PC, print documents, and email photos and links. They’re always available on the right side of your screen, no matter where you are in Windows.

Swipe in from the right edge of your screen. Then tap or click Search, Share, Start, Devices, or Settings. (If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, and then click Search, Share, Start, Devices, or Settings.)

You can also press the Windows logo key +C to open the charms.

Search

The Search charm uses Bing Smart Search so you can search your PC, the web, and OneDrive, plus some apps and the Windows Store. You can search once to get results from everywhere, and you can go back to your search results without having to search again.

To search your PC, the web, and OneDrive
using Bing Smart Search

Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Search.(If you're using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, and then click Search.) You can also press the Windows logo key +S, or press the Windows logo key and start typing to open Search. And if you're on the Start screen, you can tap or click the Search button , or just start typing. (If you don't see the Search button on your Start screen, you don't have the latest update for Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1. For more info, see Install the Windows 8.1 Update (KB 2919355).)

Enter your search term. As you type, you'll see a list of search results and suggestions.

If you see the app, file, or setting you're looking for in the list, tap or click it to open it. To see all of the results for your search term, including all the web results from Bing, tap or click the Search button to go to the search results page.
You can also tap or click one of the search suggestions.

On the search results page, tap or click a search result to open it.

The search results page

Your results are grouped by category and by where they’re from. For example, the photos on your PC will be grouped together, and so will the photos from the web. The results from your personal files on your PC and OneDrive will be listed first, and then results from apps and the web. Thumbnails give you an idea of what you’re getting before you tap or click.
To see all the search results for a specific category, tap or click the See all link for that category.

To go back to the search results page

If you open a search result and find it’s not what you're looking for, you can go back to the search results page without having to search all over again. With touch, swipe in from the left edge of your screen. (With a mouse, move your pointer into the upper-left corner of your screen and click.)

To narrow your search results

The Search charm automatically searches the apps, files, and settings on your PC and OneDrive, plus the web. But you can search for only one type of result, like settings or images on the web. And in some apps, you can choose to search only that app.

Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Search.(If you're using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, and then click Search.)

Tap or click the arrow above the search box, and then tap or click the category you want.

To change settings for Search

You can clear your search history, choose how your search info is shared with Bing, and change SafeSearch options that filter adult content from your search results. And if you want, you can turn off web search so that you see results only from your PC and OneDrive (you might want to do this if you’re using a metered Internet connection).

Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Settings, and then tap Change PC settings.(If you're using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, click Settings, and then click Change PC settings.)

Tap or click Search and apps, and then tap or click Search.

Change the settings you want.

Share

The Share charm is a quick way to share files, photos, and info with people you know, or save things for later, without leaving the app you're in. You can share a photo with just a few people at a time, share a link with your entire social network, or send an interesting article to the
Reading List
app so you can read it later.

You can share things from most apps with the Share charm. If you want to share things from the desktop, you can share through email or use OneDrive to share files and photos.

To share files

In an app, swipe the item you want to share to select it. (If you're using a mouse, right-click the item you want to share to select it.)

Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Share.(If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, and then click Share.)

Tap or click the person, app, or device you want to share with, and follow the on-screen instructions.

To share a link

Open an app and browse to the website, article, or map you want to share.

Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Share.(If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, and then click Share.)

Tap or click the person, app, or device you want to share with, and follow the on-screen instructions.

To change settings for Share

You can change which apps are listed in the Share charm, and how they appear.

Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Settings, and then tap Change PC settings.(If you're using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, click Settings, and then click Change PC settings.)

Tap or click Search and apps, and then tap or click Share.

Change the settings you want.

Start

You can use the Start charm to get to the Start screen no matter where you are in Windows. Or if you’re already on Start, use it to go back to the last app you were using.

Open Start by swiping in from the right edge of the screen and then tapping Start. (Or, if you're using a mouse, point to the lower-left corner of the screen, move your mouse all the way into the corner, and then click Start.)

Tip

If you're using a mouse, you can move your mouse pointer to the lower-left corner and click the Start button to go back to Start.

Devices

The Devices charm is a quick way to send files and info to other devices that are connected to your PC, like your printer, Xbox, phone, speakers, TV, or a projector. The list of devices available in the Devices charm depends on the devices you have and whether they’re connected to your PC. To learn more about setting up devices, see Add, remove, and manage your devices and printers.

To use the Devices charm

Open an app and swipe the item or file you want to send to a device to select it. (If you’re using a mouse, right-click the item or file to select it.)

Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Devices.(If you're using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, and then click Devices.)

Pick one of the following options:

Stream videos, music, or a photo slide show to another device (like a TV or stereo). Tap or click Play and follow the on-screen instructions. For more info about how to set up Play, see Stream pictures, video, and music using Play.

Print a document, photo, or email. Tap or click Print and follow the on-screen instructions. For more info, see How to print.

Project what’s on your PC (like a presentation, a slide show, or anything on your PC) on another screen. Tap or click Project and follow the on-screen instructions.

Settings

The Settings charm is the place to make quick adjustments to a few common settings (like brightness and volume), find settings for your PC (like personalization, user accounts, and devices), and change settings for the app you’re using.

To quickly adjust common settings

There are a few common PC settings—like volume, power, and network connection—that are always available in the Settings charm.

Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Settings.(If you're using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, and then click Settings.)

Tap or click the setting you want to change.

To change settings for your PC

You can change most settings in PC settings (instead of in Control Panel), like personalization and settings for things like devices, user accounts, OneDrive, network connections, and languages.

Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Settings, and then tap Change PC settings.(If you're using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, click Settings, and then click Change PC settings.)

Tap or click the category of settings you want to change.

To change settings for an app

If you’re in an app when you open the Settings charm, you’ll see the settings for that app listed first. Every app is a little different, so the settings might be a little different too. And if you're on Start or the desktop, you can use the Settings charm to personalize and change other options.

Open an app, or go to Start or the desktop.

Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Settings.(If you're using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, and then click Settings.)

Tap or click the setting you want to change.
If you're using an app and you don't see what you want, check PC settings—some apps have settings there.

Tip

If you're using an app and need help, you'll most likely find it in the Settings charm.